Touching and Informative Reads For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and these books have some great information and personal stories to help raise awareness. Note that the first two books are FREE today and the last two Sundays of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

For Those Already On The Journey…

Beyond the Pink Moon (5/5 stars, FREE today [10/13/13] and the last two Sundays in October 2013 only in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month)

In this touching, frank and informative memoir, Nicki Boscia Durlester intimately chronicles her transformational journey after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Her story begins with her mother, who was diagnosed with the disease in 1962: a time when breast cancer was only discussed behind closed doors, and long before women took an active role in their diagnosis and treatment.

Nicki provides unique insight into being part of a large Italian-American family afflicted with the BRCA2 gene, and shares poignant stories about her mother and aunts who faced breast and ovarian cancer with extraordinary grace and courage.

Nicki writes candidly about her frustration in finding the right team of doctors as well as the highs and lows of her journey, sharing humor and heart along the way. She puts a human face on statistics ranking breast cancer as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States.

This deeply moving story of legacy, loss and ultimately survival is told through the eyes of a daughter who shared an unbreakable bond with her mother. As she travels the scary, unpredictable road through her own diagnosis, treatment and recovery, Nicki discovers the most difficult challenge she faces becomes the most spiritually transcendent experience of her life.

This Special Edition of Beyond the Pink Moon includes an Afterword by the author.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to breast cancer research.

The Pink Moon Lovelies are members of the Facebook group Beyond the Pink Moon, named after Nicki Boscia Durlester’s memoir that intimately chronicles her journey after a breast cancer diagnosis. Nicki created the group to provide an active forum for discussion to raise awareness about the BRCA gene and breast and ovarian cancer.

She never dreamed her homespun story would travel around the globe and Beyond the Pink Moon would become a support group for people from all walks of life coming together to lift each other up with inspiration, humor, faith and love. With Lovelies in Australia, Canada, England, France, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Tasmania and the USA, Nicki, a BRCA2 survivor, and fellow moderator, Melissa Johnson Voight, a BRCA1 previvor, whose journey of steadfast faith and courage of conviction is included in this book, have encouraged their members to tell their stories with one goal in mind, to save lives.

With a Foreword written by renowned breast surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk, this riveting collection of 50 stories includes: the unflinching account of Barbie Ritzco,a United States Marine who kept silent about discovering a lump in her breast in order to deploy with her unit to Afghanistan, putting her country before her health,the moving story of Ally Durlester, Nicki’s daughter, a 25 year old BRCA2 previvor who will undergo prophylactic surgery to try to avoid the same fate as her mother, grandmother and six great-aunts who all had breast, ovarian or fallopian tube cancer, the frustrating story of Erika Grogin Lange, an Israeli Lovely and mother of five,whose nagging symptoms of fatigue, nausea and bloating went undiagnosed for months until she heard the shocking news that she had Stage III ovarian cancer, and the unpredictable journey of Susan Long Martucci, a two-time breast cancer survivor, disease free for 13 years, blindsided by another diagnosis. She is the beacon of hope who coined the term Pink Moon Lovelies.

Each story is compelling and has an important message to impart.
The Pink Moon Lovelies, Empowering Stories of Survival concludes with the story of the incomparable May Smith, the 32 year old South African Lovely who left a legacy of extraordinary courage, grace and love. Hers was a life well lived. When May sadly passed away on July 22, 2012 from breast cancer she left the Pink Moon Lovelies with one final message filled with wisdom and advice beyond her years. Her emotional eulogy written by Nicki Boscia Durlester is also included. Two women who never met in person but whose love transcended time and space. The power of the Pink Moon!

Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book has long been the bible for the newly diagnosed. In this completely revised fifth edition, it also becomes a guide for those at risk of getting breast cancer, survivors interested in the consequences of their treatment, and anyone who wants to understand the new research about how the local environment influences the manifestations and treatments of many different kinds of breast cancer.

Major advances being made in genetic research today mean that prevention and treatment can work not only to get rid of mutated cells (through chemo or surgery), but also to change the environment around the cells (through hormone therapy, exercise, and stress reduction).

Among other promising developments discussed are advances in imaging, recognition of breast density as a risk factor, and a section focused on “personalized medicine” to help determine what kind of cancer you have and how best to treat it.

Any woman facing a diagnosis, decisions about treatment, or concerns about prevention will find in Dr. Love’s book the information, guidance, and reassurance she needs.

Have you heard the words, you have cancer? Have you also heard the words, you need chemotherapy?

If you are facing chemotherapy for the first time, this ebook will help you get past your fear. It is the next best thing to talking face-to-face with someone who has been there.

Getting Past the Fear: A Guide to Help You Mentally Prepare for Chemotherapy contains practical suggestions for getting your mind in a better place before you begin treatment. Loved ones of those beginning chemo will also find it helpful. It’s a quick and easy read with lots of useful advice.

Here are a few topics you’ll find covered:

- The importance of acknowledging your true feelings
- Tips for self-advocating
- How to cope with hair loss
-How to buy a wig
- What will the first day of chemo be like?
- What to expect during chemotherapy
- Journaling
- Looking forward